The Rapu-Rapu Polymetallic Project of Lafayette Philippines Inc. (LPI) is still in the process of optimizing its operations as it enters the third week of its 60-day extended test run, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) said in its report to Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Angelo T. Reyes on Saturday.

MGB Chief Metallurgist Juancho Pablo Calvez said the company’s zinc production has remained low as it has yet to stabilize its operations.

He said the stabilization process is part of the debugging stage, which is a normal procedure in mill start up. A team of MGB technical people in the area is closely monitoring this.

“Optimization and stabilization of production is being done by determining the efficient operating parameters such as addition of chemicals and mesh of grind,” Calvez said.

On the other hand, Calvez confirmed that LPI has already achieved the minimum 25-percent copper content target for its copper concentrate production.

This, he said, as the company already started running at 90 percent rated production capacity.

LPI in its initial debugging operation, which started on the third stage of the initial 30-day test run, started producing copper concentrate with 10 percent copper content.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Pollution Adjudication Board (DENR-PAB) earlier granted LPI another 60 days to continue its test run in its mining facility in Rapu-rapu, Albay.

The PAB granted the request for the 60-day temporary lifting order (TLO) after the expiration of the 30-day test run that the government had given the company last July.

DENR Secretary Angelo T. Reyes said the PAB order was made to allow LPI to optimize the efficiency of its detoxification circuit, which will only be attained when operation has achieved its full-rated capacity.

He added an extended test run will also allow the company to take more representative samples to prove that it has complied with DENR standards on safe and sustainable mining.

Lafayette came under fire last year after two incidents of mine waste spills in their Rapu-rapu site. The DENR immediately closed down the Rapu-rapu facility and ordered Lafayette to first set up safeguards before resuming operation.

September 13, 2006